Dominique Thread!

[JacobandMeagan]

I get my Dominique's On Friday! I can't wait!

 

[Faraday40]

Wow, the Sussex egg is big!

Thanks. Actually it's not so big when you compare the sizes of hens. However, if she turns out like her mother, then the egg will grow larger over time.

My DD holding her dom. (1st egg)


My DS holding his backyard mix (Coro Sussex x Lav Orp).







He decided he wanted to keep one of DD's chicks for himself. He picked this one out & plays with her regularly. She accompanies him on several adventures, rides the swings, hangs out in the tree house, & goes on an occasional bike ride.

Some "Baby Pics" from the summer

 

[Alaskan]

None of my Doms lay shiny eggs, some have more of a thin white wash than others. If that is what you are talking about, [@=/u/230376/Faraday40]@Faraday40[/@], then it is normal, and might be what her eggs will always look like. There are some Calcium issues that can cause Calcium spots on the eggs, but that looks different.

Thanks. Here's a super close up of today's eggs. (I don't get enough to use a basket.) The Dom's egg is on the right & a Sussex-Orp mix egg is on the left. Both are pullets & both lay pinkish eggs with a matte finish. (Color looks off on my monitor, but otherwise this is how they look.) Are these speckles normal?

Looks fine to me. I would make sure she has oyster shell to eat when she wishes...

 

[Faraday40]

Looks fine to me.

I would make sure she has oyster shell to eat when she wishes...

Thanks. The Dom's eggs are very strong.

I do have an old leghorn mix that consistently makes HUGE, round eggs (2.9 - 3.1 oz each). That one has always had thinner shells & at age 3, her eggs sometimes have bumpy calcium deposits. I think that's what you mentioned before. If I give no veggies & keep her penned, forced to eat only layer feed, the shells are stronger. I prefer to let them out, but when she free ranges, she eats too much junk & not enough calcium. (Even though feed & oyster shell are always available!!!) I think this may be her last year.

 

[JulesChicks]

Thanks. Actually it's not so big when you compare the sizes of hens. However, if she turns out like her mother, then the egg will grow larger over time.

My DD holding her dom. (1st egg)


My DS holding his backyard mix (Coro Sussex x Lav Orp).







He decided he wanted to keep one of DD's chicks for himself. He picked this one out & plays with her regularly. She accompanies him on several adventures, rides the swings, hangs out in the tree house, & goes on an occasional bike ride.

Some "Baby Pics" from the summer

How adorable! I've been thinking about adding some Orpington's or Australorps for my kids, though I also think the Doms might be friendly and docile enough for my kids.

 

[Faraday40]

How adorable! I've been thinking about adding some Orpington's or Australorps for my kids, though I also think the Doms might be friendly and docile enough for my kids.

My Dom is very, very tame. One cannot go outside without tripping over her. LOL Our English Orps are impressive in size & lay bigger eggs - but maybe not as often. They eat & poop more too. They are so tame, any stranger can simply bend down & pick one up. The Dom is like that with us, but will run from strangers. I think both are great breeds for kids. We had a Black Australorp & on paper, it sounded like our perfect breed. She laid daily but was not outgoing & friendly. She didn't come when called, didn't like to be held, and also bullied new pullets. Perhaps we got a lemon.

edit to add- I should say visitors & not strangers. We don't have strangers walking around our property. However, a visitor to us = a stranger to a chicken. Either way, our Orps are fearless & know people often bring treats.

 

[JulesChicks]

Thanks Faraday, good to know. ALL our chickens run from US! I would love at least 1-2 that are tame enough to know that the person(s) that feed them are not trying to kill them if we want to pick them up! My Ameraucanas come running to greet us and love hanging around us but are skittish if you try to pick them up and they were hand raised by us. Two of my CL were hand raised by someone else and aren't terrible about being picked up but still not as tame as I would like. We also have not been full time at our property yet so that makes a difference I'm sure. Once we can be there full time and not just daily some of the chickens may be more receptive - and I won't be adding until we are so I can spend much more time with the new chicks.

 

[Faraday40]

Handling helps (ours imprinted on us at hatch), but most chickens are in it for the treats.

We actually have 2 calls.
One is "Go to Coop" when we want them back inside the run. Some days we just need to lock them up early because we won't be home at sunset. To train them, we say, "Go to Coop" & simply point into the run where we throw treats.(like veggie scraps or scratch) In just a few days they'll run ahead of us & beat us to their run.

The other call is "Ch-Ch-Chickens" when I want them to come to me wherever I am. Likewise I use treats like pulled dandelions or clover. (For some reason they fight over it if I pull it up, but ignore it in the grass????) But seriously, they will look like this when you call after just a few days of training:
.



The kids sometimes like to play chicken ping pong. One will call for the chickens. After chickens reach point A,another child about 200 feet away will call them. Our hopeful flock will keep running back & forth. Poor birds.

 

[abbevilleoz]

Are there breeders on those sites? I wasnt able to see where to find a list.

 

[abbevilleoz]

Are there breeders on those sites? I wasnt able to see where to find a list.

Go to the "Find Rare Breeds" link on the conservancy website. It will take you to a map with links to breeders.